Have searched but did not find anything. I am wondering if it is possible to convert a 40's style gauge cluster to modern 12 volt operation. What I had in mind was more of a re-fitting modern gauges into the old 40's housing and maybe even converting the old speedo to electronic while keeping the vintage look. Anyone who has done it ? Or knows that it has been done ?
Those are two very pricey options. Has anyone done that type of conversion themselves with "at home do it yourself tech" ? There must be someone on the Hamb who has done it.
Yes. On my '41 Ford. Replaced the gauge movements(oil,water) with movements from a late 70's Ford truck. They were identical to the originals. Fit exactly into the original cases. Used the newer voltage reducer and senders that were used on the truck gauges. Used a Ron Francis solid state voltage reducer for the fuel as I'm run the original fuel sender. They are accurate and have worked well for 10 yrs or more.
in my '47, I gutted the housing, and put Autometers behind the panel. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4878804&postcount=30 I even did it to the speedo, with an electronic speedo in the original housing.
That looks good, I like the autometer idea as you can run them like normal 12 volt gauges. I'd really like to see pictures of how you did the electronic speedometer.
I did my 50 Ford by gutting VDO 2" gauges and replacing the stock gauges with them. It's easy. Take out old gauge face, cut apart VDO gauge, mount in place of original. Electric gauges need ign. +, ground, and sending unit input, and a dash light signal (except for volt gauge, no sending unit).
I switched movements, installed them in my gauge cluster, and wired them exactly as they were with the 6V. Only thing I added were the voltage reducers that were on the new gauges as even the 12V gauges don't operate on a full 12V. Voltage thru the reducer, to the gauge, out to the senders. My is a '41 Ford with a SBF. Actually after I got everything installed I laid the gauge cluster on the fender and ran the engine. Normal operating water temp came out to be in center of the scale, Oil pressure came out to 45-50 PSI I believe. A note- because the newer gauges are plastic cases, the needles stuck out a bit further than stock and touched the cluster glass. I just spaced the gauge back with a flat washer at each mounting screw.I wanted the gauges to be original looking.
Years ago a guy did a Tech article in one of the car mags replacing the gauges in his 40 Std/40-47 Pickup panel with the gauges from a UPS delivery truck using a Ford panel. It was quite simple and well written/photographed. Wish my old memory was better about which mag and when withing 2-3 years... but it isn't.
Here is my '46 Olds with OEM mechanical senders etc and my rebuilt instrument cluster with modern electrics. Speedo 110 to 140, water 212 to 240, amps to 16 volts, oil pressure 60 to 100. Updated the old mechanical clock to quartz. Original analogue odometer is now digital and can be adjusted from mph to kph if needed. I had some new perspex cut to suit along with new decals made as well.
i heard you can hard wire a transistor to the positive side which would gring the volts back down to 6 volts.......on that specific tac. guage.... so i hear..i even seen a diagram of a guy that did it...but have i.. not yet.. ill let you know how it goes.... i was gonna stop at radio shack and ask...
The Jalopy Journal
